Alarm-clock.



E. E. STOCKTON.

ALARM CLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 5, 1912.

1,046,036. Patented Dec.3,1912.

. FIIQ- Fig.6.

coLumalA PLANOGRAPH CO, 'ASHINGTON n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELMER E. STOCKTON, 0F BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE INGRAHAM 00.,

OF BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION. 1

ALARM-CLOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 3, 1912.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELM'ER E. STOCKTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bristol, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Alarm-Clocks; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the characters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, andwhich said drawings constitute part of this application, and represent, in

Figure 1 a view in front elevation of a clock constructed in accordance with my invention, the lower portion of the dial belng broken away to show the suspension of the bell below the cloclcmovement. Fig. 2 a view thereof in rear elevation. Fig. 3 a detached edge view of the movement (stripped) and bell, showing the manner 1n which the bell is suspended from the front movement-plate so as to occupy a horizontal position wlthin the lower portion 'of the clock-case. Fig. 4 a broken view inhorizontal section on the line a-b of Fig. 2 showing the projection of the bell into the bell-housing in the back of the case. Fig. 5 a detached View in elevation of the bellhousing. Fig. 6 a plan view thereof. Fig. 7 a broken view in horizontal section corresponding to Fig. 4, showing the bell-housing as made integral with the back of the case.

My invention relates to an improvement in that class of small alarm clocks known to the trade as nickel alarms for the reason that such clocks were long supplied to the trade in cylindrical, nickeled sheet-metal cases. The original practice was to mount small bells upon the out-side of these clocks on top just below their handles. These bells and their hammers being exposed, were liable to be deranged and gave way to large bells concentrically arranged at the back of the clock cases, and perforated for the passage of the winding and setting arbors. These large bells were also exposed and objectionable in so far as they required the use of long winding and setting arbors and special packing boxes, all entailing extra expense. Clocks of the type last mentioned were followed upon the market by clocks having their bells located within theircases which were provided with sound holes for the escape of the sound.

My present invention relates to clocks of the class last mentioned, the object being to provide a simple, cheap and effective clock in which the bell is located within the case and in which the periphery or side wall of the case, as well as the dial and mat thereof are left unperforated.

With these ends in view, my invention consists in a clock having certain details of construction and combinations of parts as will be hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In carrying out my invention as herein shown, I'rivet an ordinary hell 2 in a horizontal position to the lower end of a bracket 3 the upper end of which is shaped in the form of a yoke the arms 4: of which are fastened by screws 5 to the front face of the front movement-plate 6 on the opposite sides of the screw 7 which provides a bearing for the front end of the balance-staff 8 of the balance-wheel 11 which projects into the bell2,whereby an economy of space is secured, and whereby the bell is made to constitute as it were, a housing for the balance wheel when the movement is out of the case. The bell is made sufficiently large to extend beyond the front and rear movement lates 6 and 9, so as to take advantage of the epth of the clock-case from front to rear. In another view of my improvement, it provides for inserting a bell fiatwise between the edges of the movement plates and the band of the case with the plane of the bell tangential to the said band. The bell is thus suspended in a horizontal position directly below the movement which may be of any approved construction, but which it is not necessary to describe in detail more than to say that it has front and rear movement plates 6 and 9 connected in the usual manner by pillars 10.

In order to provide for the escape of the sound of the bell 2 from the clock-case, the bell is arranged to project rearward into a bell-housing 13 located in a rectangular opening 14 formed near the lower edge and below the center of the flat disk-like back 15 of the clock-case, the said housing being furnished, as shown, with a vertical series of long, narrow, horizontally arranged soundholes 16 which might, however, be replaced by sound-holes of any other form. As shown, the said bell-housing 13 is formed with flanges 17 secured by solder 18 to the edges of the opening 14: as shown in Fig. 1. Then the bell 2 is struck by the hammer, the sound of the bell escapes through the holes 16 of the bell-housing 13 so that the bell, although located in a protected place within the case, is clearly heard.

I am enabled by my improvement to locate the bell of an alarm clock entirely within the case, and yet avoid perforating the peripheral band or side wall 19 of the cylindrical case or the dial 20 thereof to let the sound of the bell out of the case. I also avoid extending the hammer and hammer wire out of the case where the wire is apt to be bent and its position with respect to the bell destroyed. By locating the bell directly between the band 19 of the case and the edges of the front and rear movement plates instead of upon the top of the case, or below it, or at the back of it, I secure a more compact clock, and one easier and safer to box for transportation. LBy arranging the bell flatwise between the circular band of the cylindrical case and the edges of the movement plates, I secure an economy of space not before achieved in circular alarm clocks since less space is occupied by the bell in this position than when it is located within the case in front of the time movement or within the case in back of the time-movement. At the same time I do not unduly reduce the size of the bell, which may, if desired occupy the full depth of the case. Under my improved construction, also, I am enabled to make the clock thinner over all than when the bell is concentrically arranged upon the outside of the case at the back thereof. Furthermore, I am enabled to utilize the bell, if desired, and as herein shown, as a housing for the balance wheel, the operation of which it in no wise interferes while it protects the wheel. Moreover, I avoid all of the objections incident to the location of a cup bell upon a bell post rising from the top of the case. Such clocks are difiicult to pack and liable to get out of order, since the bell being exposed is apt to be displaced with reference to the bell hammer.

If preferred, instead of employing a bellhousing 13 made independent of the back of the case and set thereinto, I may make the housing integral with the case as shown in Fig. 7 in which the bell-housing 21 is formed integral with the case-back 22 by striking it rearward from the inside thereof.

As shown, the bell 2 is flat-bottomed, forming a stand for the movement when the same is out of the case. This is a matter of great utility during the manufacture of the movement as it enables the same to be conveniently and safely handled while being regulated, etc., and to be stood up instead of laid down on its side. It is also convenient to have the movement provided with a foot when it is removed from the case by the clock-repairer for regulation or other attention. The protection of the delicate balance-wheel and hair-spring of the movement by the use of the bell as a housing therefor has already been spoken of. My improved bell, as shown, therefore, has the threefold function of bell, housing for the balancewheel and hair-spring, and stand for the movement-when the same is out of the case.

I claim:

1. In an alarm clock, the combination with a cylindrical case having a circular sheetmetal band, of a cloclomovement centrally located within the said case and having front and rear movement-plates, a clock bell located centrally below the said clockmovement and arranged between the bottom portion of the said band and the lower edges of the said front and rear movement plates and sufliciently large to extend beyond the same in both directions and opening upward, and a bracket secured to and extending below the said movement and extending downward into the said bell for supporting the same in place.

2. In an alarm clock, the combination with a cylindrical case having a circular sheetmetal band, of a clock-movement centrally located within the said case and having front and rear movement-plates, a clock-bell arranged between the said band and the edges of the said front and rear movement-plates in position to receive and house the balancewheel of the said movement and the bell being sufficiently large to extend beyond the said plates in both directions and opening upward, and a bracket secured to the said movement and extending downward into the said bell for supporting the same and shaped to clear the bearing-screw of one end of the balance-wheel staff.

3. In an alarm clock, the combination with a cylindrical case having a circular, sheetmetal band, of a clock-movement centrally located within the said case and having front and rear movement-plates, a clock bell arranged between the said band and the edges of the said front and rear movement-plates in position with respect to the movement to receive the said balance-wheel thereof and form a housing therefor, and means for supporting the bell in place.

1. In an alarm clock, the combination with a cylindrical case having a circular sheetmetal band and a fiat disk-shaped back having a rearwardly projecting perforated bellhousing, of a clock-movement located within the said case and having front and rear movement plates, a clock-bell arranged between the said band and the edges of the said movement-plates and extending on one side into the said rearwardly projecting housing, and means for supporting the said bell in place.

5. The combination with a clock-movement, of a bell opening upward and located below the said movement in position to bal ance the same and shaped to form a standard therefor, and means attached to the said movement for connecting the said bell therewith, whereby the said bell becomes a standard'for supporting the movement when'the same is out of its case.

6. In an alarm-clock, the combination with a cylindrical case having a circular sheetmetal band, of a clock-movement located centrally within the said case and having front and rear movement-plates, a clock-bell arranged between the bottom portion of the said band and the lower edges of the said front and rear movement-plates and shaped to form a standard to support the movement into which the bell opens upwardly, and means for attaching the said bell to the said movement in line with the vertical center of the movement, whereby the said bell forms a standard for the movement when the same is removed from its case.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the presence of two a subscribing witnesses.

ELMER E. STOCKTON.

Witnesses:

P. M. WILcoX, -WM. P. HYNDs.

copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

